Our archery success... (pic heavy)

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

Okay.... you guys asked and now you have a long read and lots of pics!!!! HaHaHa!!!

 

 

 

Well, Jan 3rd we had our first archery coues on the ground, for our group. It belonged to Tiana Madrid (Mrs. mjmhunter)… it was her first coues with a bow! Tiana is one of the toughest girl hunters that I have ever hunted around! She had been trying to hold out for a branch antlered buck for some time, hunting a couple of days each January hoping for a shooter and finally got it done!! Tiana, you once again, proved that you're a better hunter than your hubby!! HaHaHa! (Just kidding, Buddy) Way to Go, T!!!!

 

 

Our next successful archery hunter was also a First! My hunting partner, Jason, passed a buck and his cameraman, Clancy Gosswick, jumped at the chance to harvest this big fork with eye guards as his first coues with a bow! Clancy anchored this buck to the ground and we got it on video!!!! Clancy's uncle is an official scorer and I am told that he taped the buck at 86" gross. Way to go, Clancy!

 

 

Our next, First Archery Coues, would fall by the hands of my wonderful wife, Tina! She took up a bow for the first time this year because, her rifle tags don't come as often as she would like anymore and the boys can't have all the fun!! HaHa! She has had to overcome all of the usual obstacles that most archery hunters do, how to draw a bow on a deer without getting busted, all the mechanics of executing the perfect shot, braving the heat (August) and the cold (January), and how to cope with Buck Fever when the first 4.... yes FOUR... branch antlered bucks that present shot opportunities to you are over 90 inches!!! HaHaHa!! I just love the Never Say Die attitude that my wife has exhibited and the fact that her motto became... I just want a small buck to come passed me!! She spent days and days hunting, passing spikes and a spork or two, and the first small buck that came passed her got and arrow in his ribs! One buck hit, one buck recovered!! A very cool first buck and our son, Colton, was there to video and share this special culmination of events with his Mother!!! Colton had passed this buck up several times and had videoed him previously hoping that his Mom would get a crack at him. An archery Coues NUT was born in these last two archery seasons (last August & this January)... Now she will be ready for the big bucks next January! Congrats, Baby Doll!!! I am Soooo Proud of you!!!

 

I too, was blessed with some great archery hunting opportunities in the few days that I actually hunted for myself. Passing couple bucks that would have easily broken that 90” mark and bunch of the lil'er guys..... Hoping to keep my promise to my buddy, Jason, Our motto: It has got to be a No Brainer! A Hundred Incher or Nuthin'!!! When I saw him I never saw his horns after the first glance. When the guys asked me how big, I said, "Not sure, I saw him and went into shooter mode. That should make him over a 100".... I hope...gulp! But, he ain't no 110"! I do know that! HaHa!! The result.... My second largest coues with a bow, my largest typical and everyone is giving me crap cuz he is going to be the largest Euro Mount in my house. HaHa! I am very happy with this buck, but I already have one mounted that is just 2+ inches smaller, and I like Euro Mounts!! I am telling myself that next year I will be able to pass bucks like this, but honestly, I am not sure that I will ever be able to pass a 100 incher with a bow! I taped this buck at 100 7/8” gross (with about 2 1/8'' in deducts) and I will enter him in P&Y.

 

As the month has wore on there have been countless hours spent in the woods hoping that we would get another big one on the ground. The guys had to pass on a lot of bucks that most people would shoot… hoping for a No Brainer. There are many times in bow hunting when you know you just glimpsed the buck of your dreams and then he gone, never to be seen again. And the close calls, seeing a buck at less than 30 yards, being at full draw or just as ready as you can be, and having something cause the buck to not offer the shot. My hunting partner, Jason Scarbrough, had had an exciting month, filled with these ups and downs and it finally paid off! The No Brainer was in the open at 24 yards and there was an arrow painted red stuck in the dirt just beyond where the buck had been walking!! And he kept his promise as well.... A Hundred Incher or Nuthin'! And he just had to show me up!!! HaHaHa!! His No Brainer taped at 106 1/8!! Congrats buddy!!! You earned every inch!!! Jason and I have hunted every January together for many years now and this is the first year that we both broke 100" in the same month!!! What a thrill!!! To many more triple digit coues my Friend!!

 

Well the last three days of the season were upon us and the boys wanted to score. The older two (Justin & Colton) were still looking for a personal No Brainer... and there was not much deer movement going on. But, then there was Lucas... Luke was introduced to hunting by my buddy, Jason. In the Fall of 2007 Luke and my Wife hunted muley's together with Jason and were both successful. Then he picked up the archery equipment and began a tireless practice regiment to prove that he was good enough to hunt in January 2009 with Jason and me. Luke hunted many days and passed up a bunch of spikes and forks… he saw a few bigger bucks and one monster that kept him motivated, but they never gave him the shot he wanted. These last three days were do or die in Luke's eyes! "The first spike that walks in!" was his reply when I asked what he would shoot. And wouldn't you know it on that third to last day; Luke smoked his first coues with a bow!! I am certain that I have never seen a happier or more proud hunter in all my days!! All your hard work, effort, and patients paid off, Luke!! We are so very proud of you!!!! Congrats, Young Fellar!!!

 

To all my friends and family that put in the hours and did not fill the tag.... Manny, Justin, Colton, Lee, Jake, and Jimmy, the rest of us feel your pain! Just as you wallowed in our joy of harvesting these deer; we also share your defeat! As a team we batted .500 and there is always Next Season!

 

Almost forgot! Colton shot one of the two or three Bob Kitties that he saw in January!! Here is a pic.

[hunter4life]

You all had an awesome January. Congrats to everyone on their archery coues bucks.

[desertbowhunter]

Gino, a big huge congratulations to you and all of your family and freinds!! It seems like you guys had a January to remember. You guys had it all this January from the first timers to the veterans. I enjoy seeing fellow bowhunters have succes, but I really really enjoy seeing first timers get it done! You guys know what hunting is all about, the memories and the spending time with family and freinds. Again, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU!!!! Oh yeah and nice bobcat that is awesome!!

[willhunt4coues]

Congrats to you all those are some great bucks. Thanks for sharing.

[AZantlerhead]

Congrats to you and all the family, what a season!

[paul navarre]

I love to see the gals and the youth be successful. Thanks for sharing.

 

What is the saying? "A family that bow hunts together, stays together!"... True, true, true, Paul

[bobbyo]

Gino,

Great job getting the whole family involved. What method were you using. Blinds. Tree stand, spot and stalk. What ever, an impressive % of tags being filled. Just plain awesome.

Bob

[azryan]

what a fantastic January all you guys had. That was well worth the wait. Congrats to everyone and all the hard work and determination that went into all the hunts

[GameHauler]

Thanks Gino for the great story and for bringing yours and Tina's by for me to see.

I really love Tina's character Buck.

Congratulations to all involved, I know you all worked hard.

[cramerhunts]

Well that was worth the wait! Congrats to all involved and thanks so much for taking the time to share them all with us. Great bucks, great adventures, and great times with family and friends......I don't think it gets any better then that! Congrats again.

 

Phil

[Redman]

WOW those are impressive coues deer.....but all with a bow!!!!!!! That is outstanding.

 

Your wife's deer is a freak.

 

Your deer may not top out over a 100, but that thing is perfectly symmetrical I would give my left pinky finger to have put an arrow in it.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Redman

[daryl_s]

You guys/gal really know how to get it done!!! A big congrats to all of you and thanks for sharing the stories and pics.

[Coues Archer]

Wow. those pics and stories are awesome. You guys have to have a honey hole to kill all those deer in one season. Anyways Congrats to all you guys next year. Good luck.

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

 

Thanks to those that have read and responded.

 

I was a very fun month and everybody except one of our group had the opportunity to pass a coues buck of some kind or atleast see a shooter while hunting. We cover a lot of ground and use a lot of different techniques to have the opportunities we do. There is so much country out there that I still have not hunted or even got to scout... each year we try to hunt something new, somewhere. This year our "new place" was our best place! Hunting further out in the middle of no-where... seeing no-one... that is where we have our best luck on big bucks, cuz we have them all to ourselves and no hunting preasure.

 

Believe it or not we should have had several bigger deer on the ground by the end of the month, but just cuz you see a big buck does not mean you are gunna put you tag on him. We look forward to all getting together and doing this every year... I hope that next year can be just as kind to us... or maybe even better!

 

 

Thanks.

[LAR DOG]

 

 

 

way to go boys and girls, that is a great acomplishmemt, i am WAY HAPPY for you all.

 

WEST SIDE, EAST SIDE, ALL STARS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, YOUR THE BEST. XO INK13 GO CARDS